Utility developers and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies have indicated a strong interest in bidding for a contract to develop the first planned pumped hydropower storage (PHS) catering to Saudi Arabia’s Neom. Codenamed Nestor, the first phase of Neom's PHS project will have an installed capacity of 2,200MW and a storage capacity of 23.1 gigawatt-hours (GWh), or roughly 11 hours. It will be developed using a build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) model that is expected to cover 40 years, excluding the construction period. The expected capital expenditure for the project is $2.7bn. According to industry sources, the client and its advisers are still considering whether to procure the project under one contract or separately tender the project's civil and mechanical, engineering and plumbing (MEP) contracts. It is understood that interested companies submitted their expressions of interest (EoIs) to participate in developing the project in January. Enowa, is expected to issue the request for qualifications (RFQ) for the contract in the second quarter of 2024. The overall PHS infrastructure will entail the development of four pumped hydropower storage stations in Neom. The planned schemes will form the backbone of an energy storage infrastructure at the SR1.5tn ($500bn) development. The other three planned PHS projects are to be located in Al Qimmah, with a capacity of roughly 3,000MW; Nima, 1,000MW; and Beach Mountain, 3,000MW. The UK-based HSBC and the US-based White & Case are advising the client on the scheme. The pumped hydropower storage project will complement Neom’s planned multi-gigawatt renewable energy infrastructure, in line with its vision of being 100% powered by renewable energy by 2030. Pumped hydropower storage is a form of clean energy storage that is ideal for electricity grids that are reliant on solar and wind power, according to the International Hydropower Association, which says: “The technology absorbs surplus energy at times of low demand and releases it when demand is high.”   A pumped hydropower storage facility typically comprises two water reservoirs at different elevations that can generate power when water passes through a turbine and moves down or is discharged from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir.   For registration as supplier: https://www.neom.com/en-us/our-business/suppliers (ICE RIYADH)

Fonte notizia: Meed